Chapter 46: A Long Time Coming

"Oh my god. Am I seriously doing this?" I sigh, resting my forehead against the steering wheel. "Is it too late to take a rain check and go back home, Polt?"

"Yes, Sweetheart and we're not gonna let you back out of this. It's been a long time coming," Polt answers.

"I'm all for being supportive but I'm still lost as to what we're doing exactly," Draco says, confused. "Are we meeting someone at this house?"

"We are actually. I'm sure there will be surprises all around," Polt chuckles.

"I don't know what it is but that house is giving me an exciting case of déjà vu! What are we waiting for?!" Lilith enthusiastically exclaims.

"C'mon, Ryuta. It'll be painless and maybe more fun than you think," Polt assures me as they leave the car. Gotta stay strong or else I can't kick his ass like I said I would! Getting out of the car to join the girls, we walk up to the front door. Fear instantly blasts through me, reminding me the uncomfortable truth of why things are the way they are. Don't let it sink in! Don't think about it or everything will go to shit! Despite my internal conflict, I knock on the door with a firmly clenched fist. It's do or die now!

"You three please stay put. There's something I have to do," I say as I take quite a number of steps back from the front door.

"Okay?" Polt, Draco, and Lilith tilt their heads in confusion. Hearing the door unlock and slowly open, I steel myself and start running towards it.

"Good afternoon! How may I—Polt?!" He reveals himself but is taken aback. Draco and Lilith also flinch like they were just jumpscared.

"Long time no see!" Polt chuckles.

"What the hell?! You live here?!" Draco exclaims, shocked.

"I've totally been here! Oh my god! I know this guy too!" Lilith yells, surprised.

"D-Draco?! Lilith too?! What's happening, Polt?!" His head is on swivel trying to process the events set in motion.

"Someone important would like a word with you," Polt smirks, pointing directly at me as I charge at him.

"W-What the hell?! R-R-Ryuta, is that you?!" He shouts, flabbergasted. I've got plenty of momentum! The time to strike is now!

"BIIIG BROTHERRR KIMIHITOOOO!" I growl loudly and jump, dropkicking him straight in the gut. As if moving in slow motion for this one moment, I notice Polt's, Draco's, and Lilith's faces shift with a variety of emotions as things click back to real time.

"Gaah!" Kimihito screams as we both fly into the house with him landing on his back and me on my side. Fucking worth it! Quickly getting up, I jump on him and grab a handful of his shirt to shake him.

"How can you be so mean, big brother?! Keeping me out of the loop for so long?! When were you planning on telling me about all these drastic life changes, huh?!" I interrogate him, letting the more feminine version of my voice take over.

"S-Soon enough! I was still trying to figure out how to exactly discuss all of this with you!" He answers.

"You big dummy! Ms. Smith already told me that you're a host with seven home stays! Seven! Now I have to introduce myself to a group of new faces and you know how I feel about groups of new people!" I yell.

"That's my bad but I need you to please cool your jets!" He apologizes, trying to calm me down.

"I'm sorry. Did Ryuta say big brother?!" Draco asks as the realization hits her.

"Oh, you didn't know that?" Lilith inquires.

"What? No one told me!" Draco replies.

"As you can see, it's a touchy topic but welcome to the club of knowing!" Polt explains.

"I'll be calm when you stop being such a dummy! You're talking to me like no time has passed! Did you even miss me at all?!" I ask. He suddenly hugs me, making me go quiet. I-I forgot how warm he is! S-So very warm!

"Of course I did," he answers.

"Awww," Polt says. The way he looks at me I swear…

"W-Whatever! I guess that dropkick was enough," I wiggle out of his hug while trying to ignore the rush of blood in my face.

"What's with all the commotion, Darling?" A woman's voice slithers down the stairs. W-What?! I haven't heard that voice in forever!

"Whatever it is, it's quite lively," another voice crawls behind that one. Am I crazy?!

"T-There's no way!" I abruptly exclaim as I see the bodies of the two voices.

"Ryuta?!" Miia and Rachnera gasp.

"Miia?!" Draco and I respond, quickly shooting a glance at each other in sheer confusion.

"Draco?!" Miia casts a swift look of disgust her way so strong you can practically see a million arrows piercing through Draco's body.

"R-Rachnera too?!" I add, further confused as I hear Lilith say her name too.

"Lilith as well, huh? This is certainly unexpected," Rachnera devilishly smirks at me and Lilith.

"Forgive me if I'm late! What's going on?" Centorea gallops into the scene, further shattering my brain.

"Even Centorea's here?!" I scream.

"Ryuta?!" Centorea reacts.

"You already know each other?!" Polt, Miia, Draco, Lilith, and Kimihito shout in unison.

"Y-You're telling me these three are some of your home stays, big brother?!" I exclaim.

"Y-Yes, that's corr—," he tries to say.

"BIG BROTHER?!" Miia, Rachnera, and Centorea get completely thrown for another loop, yelling over him in the process. What the hell is this? Nothing in this moment feels real in the slightest! The sound of more feet and a pair of wheels speed downstairs into the unfolding chaos revealing a Harpy carrying a Slime in a bucket, a Mermaid in a wheelchair, and… is that blue woman a Dullahan?! I thought those books were just cracking a weird liminal inside joke about beings of folklore actually existing!

"DID SOMEONE SAY BIG BROTHER?!" The Harpy, Mermaid, and Dullahan exclaim curiously.

"That red haired girl is Darling's little sister!" Miia quickly explains. Oh god! I forgot Miia, Rachnera, and Centorea didn't know!

"SAY WHAT?!" The Harpy, Mermaid, and Dullahan gasp.

"I-I'm his little brother actually!" I correct her, unable to contain my blushing at the honest mistake. In a momentary silence, the reveal makes Miia's, Rachnera's, and Centorea's faces red with embarrassment.

"…YOU'RE A GUY?!" Miia, Rachnera, and Centorea yell with utter disbelief.

"Good grief," Kimihito and I deeply sigh at the mess we've gotten ourselves into.

"How about we all sit down and talk about this over some tea and snacks?" Kimihito suggests.

"Agreed!" We all answered.